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Public Housing
6. It is the declared policy of the Hong Kong Government to provide decent housing at a reasonable rent for everybody who needs it. So far, public housing has been provided for over 2 million people, and new housing is now being produced at a rate of 35,000 units per year (proportionately, far more than anything that has every been achieved in this country). A further 30,000 units are being built annually in the private sector, and it is doubtful whether the building industry has the capacity to increase these rates by very much. Nonetheless, the demand for housing is such that there is a seven year waiting list for non-priority applicants for new public housing (priority is given to those made homeless by natural disasters, or whose homes are in a dangerous condition, or who are living on land that is needed for new housing development). With the recent influx of immigrants from China (over 280,000 in the past two years), it seems inevitable that these delays will get longer.
Land Clearance at Sai Lau Kok
7. Seven multi-storey buildings at Sai Lau Kok were taken over by the Government in November 1978 to make way for construction of the Mass Transit Railway. The occupants were allowed until September 1979 to vacate the premises. Most of them were happy to accept the compensation offered by the Government, but a few resisted eviction in the hope of getting better terms. These cases were attracting much publicity at the time of the MPs visit. However, since then, all of the former residents have agreed to accept the terms of compensation.
Incident Involving Mr Canavan and a Police Officer at Sai Lau Kok
8. When Mr Canavan visited Sai Lau Kok to attend a residents' meet-
ing, he was involved in an incident with a police officer who, he claimed, was abusive to him. He subsequently made a formal complaint to the Complaints Against Police Office (CAPO). An investigation carried out by CAPO established that the officer concerned was guilty of discourtesy, and appropriate disciplinary action has been taken against him. The Commissioner of Police, however, firmly resisted Mr Canavan's demands that the officer should be dismissed, since such
a step would be quite out of proportion to the seriousness of the
/offence